A touch panel apparatus is available wherein a position detection apparatus for detecting a pointed position by a pointer is combined with a display area of a liquid crystal display apparatus. The touch panel apparatus is an inputting apparatus whose display face is touched by a finger or a pen as a pointer to carry out operation of a computer or the like, and detects a position on the screen touched by a finger or a pen to provide an instruction to a computer. This touch panel is utilized widely in a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), an ATM (Automated Teller Machine), a ticket-vending machine in a railway station and so forth.
Many position detection systems can be adopted by the touch panel. For example, a resistive type system wherein position detection is carried out based on a variation of the resistance, which is caused by the pressure applied to the touch panel by a pointer, a capacitive system wherein position detection is carried out based on a variation of the capacitance between sensor conductors, and so forth are available.
One example of a prior position detection system is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. HEI 10-020992.